Trump Urges Apple’s CEO To Stop Expanding iPhone in India

A few weeks ago, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that the company would begin shipping iPhones manufactured in India to meet the bulk of demand domestically. It appears that US President Donald Trump is not satisfied with this.

Summary:

1. US President Donald Trump urged Apple to increase production in the United States while expressing dissatisfaction with the decision to expand iPhone production in India.

2. Apple currently supplies 20% of its iPhones in India, and some media agencies reported that Apple planned to import all iPhones sold in the United States from India by 2026.

3. This comes as India and the United States are sending confusing signals, with Indian officials frustrated by Trump’s recent public comments, including his declaration of an Indian-Pakistan ceasefire and his recommendation to use trade as a negotiation weapon to end the two countries’ armed war.

Speaking at a business gathering in Doha, Trump revealed that he met with Cook and urged him to stop producing in India and instead increase production in the US.

“I told him, ‘Tim, you’re my friend, and I’ve treated you very well. You’re coming up with $500 billion, but I hear you’re expanding all over India. I do not want you expanding in India. “You can build in India if you want to take care of India, because India is one of the highest tariff nations in the world,” Trump said

Trump, who is currently on a tariff offensive against the rest of the globe, announced that Apple would be “upping” manufacturing in the United States, but he did not provide a date or specifics.

Following this latest tech news, Apple did not instantly acknowledge a request for comment.

Earlier this year, Apple announced that it would spend $500 billion over the next four years to grow manufacturing in the United States by establishing facilities in multiple areas, opening new units, recruiting over 20,000 people, and establishing a manufacturing academy.

Trump’s statements come one day after India authorized a $435 million Foxconn project to manufacture Apple chips in the nation. The corporation has ambitious plans to boost production in India and create alternative manufacturing sites, reducing its reliance on China.

According to sources and an article from April, considering this latest tech news, Apple currently supplies 20% of its iPhones in India. At the time, some media agencies reported that Apple planned to import all iPhones sold in the United States from India by 2026.

Why did Trump say this Statement?

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s February visit to the White House, India and the US started formal trade negotiations. At the time, both parties promised to conclude the first phase of a trade deal by the coming season. According to Bloomberg, India’s commerce minister is going to visit the United States from May 17 to 20 for additional consultations with US officials.

This latest tech news of Trump’s remarks comes at a time when India and the United States are sending confusing signals. According to sources, Indian officials are frustrated by Trump’s recent public comments. These included his declaration of an Indian-Pakistan ceasefire and his recommendation that trade be used as a negotiation weapon to help end the two countries’ armed war.

Indian officials have denied that commercial issues were linked to discussions about the military situation with Pakistan. Neither party has formally disclosed any information verifying whether these matters were discussed in tandem.

Apple has positively increased its manufacturing presence in India over the past few years.
The corporation supplies many iPhone models in the country through contract manufacturers like Foxconn and Wistron. These efforts have aligned with India’s goal of increasing foreign investment in electronics and reducing dependency on imports.